2025-10-30 Merit Appeals Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board October 30, 2025 CHR. CABANAS: Yeah—for you and the deputy. So, our recommendation in 2023 was the minimum of 20%. But I feel more comfortable—I don’t want to just—I don’t think we should just say, “Oh, a minimum of 20”—when we don’t have more data to look at and compare with the other directors are receiving. Is Maui County paying more than the Hawaiʻi County director? So, maybe we should pause and wait for Glynis bringing the Maui study report to us. MR. THOMAS: We should remember that the year that had the 20% increase reflected catching-up— CHR. CABANAS: Correct. MR. THOMAS: —but not doing anything and we don’t know whether that was for four years, five years, or some other number of years. So, if it was for five years, that would be 4% a year which is not inconsistent with what’s here. If it was for four years—well, that’s—if it was only for three— CHR. CABANAS: Yeah. They didn’t meet for a number of years. MR. THOMAS: Yeah. CHR. CABANAS: Because— MR. AGUINALDO: So, like 3.8% for four years. MR. THOMAS: Just so I understand what we are being asked—for we’re being asked for input to a decision process that the Salary Commission has the legal authority to actually implement. CHR. CABANAS: That’s correct. MR. THOMAS: They don’t have any obligation to take what we say with more than a grain of salt. CHR. CABANAS: No. But our recommendation should be a solid one in terms of data that we can rely on and that, hopefully, will help them make a proper decision on what salaries the director and deputy should receive. MR. THOMAS: And how many agencies have been invited to make this input? CHR. CABANAS: Everyone has been. MS. BOND: There’s a—at the beginning of one of them, there’s— MR. THOMAS: There’s—at the beginning one of these I was looking for. Page 32